The month of October is observed as Vegetarian Awareness Month after being endorsed by the International Vegetarian Union in 1978. It is a great way of acknowledging the benefits of vegetarianism to the individual, to our resources, to our environment and above all in bringing compassion to our lives. It is sad that people indulge in cruelty to animals just to fill our plates and pamper our palates. If our movement should succeed then we need to create awareness as many people may not even know what animals go through before they end up as food on the table. That is why this month is also known as Reverence for Life month. By being a vegan we can take this concept one step ahead by promising that we will not use any animal product at all in our lives.
What can each one of us do to promote this concept in our immediate neighborhood among our friends and maybe even family in some instances? Vegetarians should come out and speak about how life-changing the whole experience is. As it is good for nature and animals, we are not burdened with guilt and can feel a lot more light both physically, mentally and emotionally. It can also resolve many diseases like digestion problems, obesity, breathlessness etc. and definitely it keeps us fresh and energetic. For those who want to make the switch but cannot give up non-vegetarian food, there are substitutes from the vegetarian world, which can bring out the same or if not at least equivalent taste. The internet is full of such recipes. Where there is a will, there is a way.
This is a great month as it provides us a chance to sit back and reflect on why we should turn vegetarian. It would be good to read books and articles on vegetarianism as it will give a true picture of what animals go through. My book Veg Safari describes various aspects of vegetarianism which will help in gaining an in depth understanding.
Happy Vegetarian Experience to all my readers!
